Helen Flanagan says she is 'living out of bin bag' after Travelodge incident
Helen Flanaganhas given fans an insight into how her ADHD brain works by revealing she decided to ditch her suitcase altogether and is now living out of a bin bag while on tour.
The former Coronation Street star shared the surprising update on social media as she continues travelling around the UK for her latest stage role. Laughing at herself, Helen admitted organisation isn’t exactly her strong point, and she’s had enough of dragging luggage from place to place.
She said: "I’m in Wales, I’ve done two shows and am having such a fun time on this tour." Then explaining her unusual packing solution, she added: "Organisation is not my strong point – obviously ADHD. But I could not cope with lugging my suitcase around any further, so look at this…"
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Turning the camera, Helen showed fans her makeshift set-up with a white bin bag stuffed full of her belongings. She joked: "I turned up to the theatre with a bag like this. I can’t cope with a suitcase any longer!"
The 35-year-old is currently appearing in the Easter pantomime 'Mother Goose', staying in hotels as she moves between locations on the tour.
Earlier in the schedule, the tour stopped in Mansfield, and those taking part headed to Northampton, where they stayed at a Travelodge hotel ahead of their performance the next day. Check-out times at hotels across the nation vary, but the standard check-out time at a Travelodge is midday, with check-in starting at 3pm.
Helen opened up about a tense run-in during her stay at a hotel, which she said escalated to the point police were mentioned.
Sharing the story, she explained she had overslept while staying in Northampton and was woken by staff at her door. In a video taken outside of the hotel, Helen said: "To cut a long story short, on this theatre tour we are staying in these Travelodges. Fine. I got woke up this morning, I'm due on my period and I've not been sleeping properly so I basically went to bed at half one and woke up at 12. I literally woke up to this woman at 12 o'clock banging on my door, telling me to open the door."
She added: "I went 'Oh hi sorry,' she said 'check-out is at 12,' I said 'Sorry I didn't know, I'll just have a quick shower and go.' She said 'no you can't have a shower, you need to get out now before I ring the police.' And I said, ‘Oh sorry, I didn’t know.’
Helen then explained her pal, Matt Wright, "saved" her during the ordeal. She continued, "The reason why I'm crying is because I'm due on my period and I don't like being away from my kids. All I need is a bit of respect, not to be woken up in the morning when I'm trying to have a lie-in and told to get out and I can't have a shower."
Unfortunately for Helen, the day only got "worse" when she discovered that there were no shower facilities at the theatre she was due to appear in.
In a statement, Travelodge said: "We are sorry to hear that Helen was disappointed with her stay. We have reached out to her directly and are speaking with the hotel team to understand what happened on this occasion."
Helen's disruption comes as she prepares to return to TV screens, as well as a run-in with an ex-partner on Celebrity Ex On The Beach. "I have always loved it," she said of the show. "When I was asked, it was November and freezing in the UK, and I just thought, 'How fun? I was single, so why not?"
And fun is exactly what she had. While viewers can expect all the usual explosive twists, surprise arrivals and emotional confrontations, for Helen, the experience was about much more than the drama.
"I had the best time," she says. "What I loved most was the girl time. There was such a gorgeous group of girls, and I don’t often get that kind of social time in my everyday life. I’m usually juggling work and the kids, so it felt really special to just be present and enjoy it," she added.
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